Which 6.5

[Frank in the Laurels]

I'd gladly sacrifice 200 fps to be able to buy brass until I croak... Nothing wrong with any of the 26's but this availability of brass is going to be an even bigger problem than it is... I love the creed more and Grendel but wouldn't touch either unless two bags of 100 pieces of brass we're attached to the box. One things for sure when I can't buy .243/308 brass reloading as we now know it will be long dead....as far as making up the velocity difference...lots of clicks on modern scopestake care of that problem !

 

[WildRose]

There are some great options to say the least with 6.5.

I'm just having a hard time getting away from the .264 mag. Brass & dies on the shelf for it. You have to basically wild cat to match it for velocity and to get into a better situation for barrels. Sendero (rem. 700) or Winchester Extreme Weather SS (model 70) just look to me like great places to start. I could acquire brass and start loading and hunting with the gun very quickly - and start shooting some distance. By the time I burned the barrel out, I could get a better barrel on it, maybe nitride it, or look to wildcat with it at that point.

There is a lot of options out there - I think when my head quits spinning from looking at everything I'll make a choice and put it to work.

There's absolutely nothing at all not to like about the .264wm. It was a great cartridge when it was invented and will remain so for as long and center fire rifles exist.

It was the victim of bad writing/negative press as a "barrel burner" and the not too far behind 7mm Rem.

You're not going to beat it's velocity in a factory round other than the 26 Nosler and you can still find an ample assortment of factory brass and ammo.

It's a great caliber that is far too often overlooked.

 

[WildRose]

I built a 6.5 Remington Magnum on a Remington 40X action. Just like in Goldilocks: Not too big, not too small, it's just right...

Good luck

Jerry

The only problem with the old 6.5RM is the difficulty in finding brass and it doesn't offer any velocity improvement over the 6.5x55, 260 Rem, or 6.5CM all three of which are available with lots of choices in factory ammo and brass.

It sure is a neat little caliber though that performs very well in carbine length barrels for which it was designed.

 

[Jerry M]

The only problem with the old 6.5RM is the difficulty in finding brass and it doesn't offer any velocity improvement over the 6.5x55, 260 Rem, or 6.5CM all three of which are available with lots of choices in factory ammo and brass.

It sure is a neat little caliber though that performs very well in carbine length barrels for which it was designed.

I bought 1000 cases when I built the rifle in 2013. Black Hills Shooters Supply listed 6.5 RM brass in their last catalog. But I agree it's not available everywhere. Any other 'unusual' caliber build I do in the future, I would only do if I could secure enough brass to toast the barrel.

Please tell me what load you are using in 6.5x55, 260 Rem, or 6.5CM that will move a 140 grain bullet to 3000+ FPS, with a 24" barrel? Nosler # 6 reloading guide gives 3 loads in that range.

Good luck

Jerry

 

[WildRose]

I bought 1000 cases when I built the rifle in 2013. Black Hills Shooters Supply listed 6.5 RM brass in their last catalog. But I agree it's not available everywhere. Any other 'unusual' caliber build I do in the future, I would only do if I could secure enough brass to toast the barrel.

Please tell me what load you are using in 6.5x55, 260 Rem, or 6.5CM that will move a 140 grain bullet to 3000+ FPS, with a 24" barrel? Nosler # 6 reloading guide gives 3 loads in that range.

Good luck

Jerry

If you're actually getting 3000+FPS out of a 24" barrel you are right at maximum or very near it.

Performance

Contrary to popular opinion, the 6.5 Remington Magnum is an incredibly efficient and effective case design. In 1966, the year of the cartridge's introduction, hand loaders were able to obtain 3000fps with 120 grain bullets and 2800fps with 140 grain bullets - all from 18.5" barrels. The 20" barreled carbine produces slightly higher velocities but any increase in performance is unnoticeable in the field. From a 22" barrel, although no longer a carbine, the 6.5 gives exceptionally high velocity. Performance on game from the 18.5-20" barrels is identical to full power loads in both the Swede and .260 Remington.

Remaining examples of the 18.5" and 20" barreled carbines have major qualities that are desirable for training youths however muzzle blast and excessive noise can be major detractors.

Average hand loading velocities for 6.5 Rem Mag
Barrel length 120 grain 140 grain
18.5" 2990fps 2800fps
20" 3050 2850
22" 3120 2920
24" 3200 3000

The others mentioned will Match it's performance in the 18-20" barreled carbines it was produced in.

The mild 6.5's give fast killing at close ranges but definitely lose the ability to produce wide wounding at ranges beyond 200-250 yards when using hunting projectiles. Light 120 grain bullets hand loaded to between 2950fps produce fast kills on lighter medium game but most 120 grain bullets produce shallow penetration. The exception to this is the 120 grain Barnes TSX.

130 grain bullets hand loaded to 2850fps have neither the high SD's and BC's of the 140 grain bullet weight or high velocity achieved from hand loaded 120 grain bullets. Performance is identical to budget .270 Winchester factory ammunition at 2900fps.

The 140 grain bullet hand loaded to between 2750 and 2800fps is the most versatile bullet weight for the .260 offering the best balance of wounding versus penetration. That said, kills beyond 200 yards can be slow while conventional projectiles, regardless of SD, often fail to produce deep penetration.

.260 Remington
Don't feel like I'm knocking your favorite because I'm not, it's just that with the zero availability of factory ammo and difficulty of even finding brass for it at all the limitations make it a caliber I won't own.

Those are very major limitations not to mention the need for custom dies and all that comes at quite a cost so when people are looking at considering building one they need to be informed.

By the way, the 6.5 RM was also the first factory produced short magnum.

 

[Jerry M]

Yes a 140 grain bullet at +-3000 FPS is near max, no reason to load to lesser levels.

I did have a 6.5-06 which I liked a lot, but shot out the barrel and sold the action. Had a 40X action with a magnum bolt face I want wanted to use, brass happened to be available, I had won a rebarrel certificate from the ASC, and realized that the 6.5 Rem Mag would work, so that is what I built. It just came together for me. Don't like 6.5 RM don't build one, more brass for me...

Good luck

Jerry

 

[gohring3006]

Elkaholic mentioned it in one of his posts a few weeks back. His source was fairly direct, IIRC.

155 grain!!! What????




What???



I likey....

 

[benchracer]

155 grain!!! What????




What???



I likey....

See post #35...

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/6-5-sherman-recipes-154068/index5.html